Portable ironing board



Aug. 1, 1961 P v o PORTABLE IRONING BOARD 2 SHeets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25,

INVENTOR. ,2 HHTT/E My PAH/L0 Wm 62% ATTORNEY 2,994,144 PORTABLE IRONING BOARD Hattie May Pavlo, 121 N. 15th St., Las Vegas, Nev. Filed May 25, 1959, Ser. No. 815,745 8 Claims. (Cl. 38-107) This invention relates to improvements in portable ironing boards, and particularly to the type adapted for use by a traveler. This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 677,490, filed August 12, 1957, now abandoned.

One object of my invention is to provide a portable ironing board which is light in weight and when ready to be packed will have a minimum thickness and therefore will occupy very little space in the travelers luggage.

Another object of my invention is to provide a portable ironing board which can be used on finely finished surfaces such as are found in hotels and which will be supported thereon in such a way that heat from the hot iron will be dissipated before reaching any such surface.

Another object of my invention is to provide means to support the ironing board and the iron while in use and, when folded for packing, will support the iron and its cord.

Another object of my invention is to provide an ironing board, suitable for use when traveling, which has a working surface of maximum dimension so that only a few changes in position of the garment need be made to iron the whole garment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof presented in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an ironing board embodying the principles of the present invention shown in its opened position ready for use.

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation and in section taken along the line 22 in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation, with an iron shown on the table in solid lines and shown in dotted lines on the iron rest.

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective looking from above at the inverted ironing board in its fully folded position ready for being placed in a traveling case, with the traveling iron held therein.

FIG. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale in section taken along the line 55 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of a traveling case containing the ironing board of FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective elevation of the underside of a modified form of my ironing board.

FIG. -8 is a cross section of an ironing board on the line 88 of FIG. 7.

As the drawings show, the ironing board of this invention can be folded into a very compact fiat shape, and on the other hand can be opened to provide a relatively large surface with support members capable of being placed on top of hotel furniture without damaging the furniture.

The invention includes a large, flat board 10 whose upper ironing surface 11 may be provided with a suitable ironing board cover 12 (FIG. 2). The board 10 has a wide rear edge 13 with two parallel sides 14, 15 toward the rear and forward sides 16, 17 converging toward a narrow forward edge 18.

To the lower surface 20 are secured two pairs of clips 21, 22 and 23, 24 that serve as hinges for a front support member 25 and a rear support member 26. The support members 25, 26 are preferably made from tubular aluminum or other similar lightweight material. The forward support member 25 has a central hinge portion 27 that lies with its axis parallel to the table surface 20 2,934,144 Patented Aug. 1, 1961 held frictionally by the hinge clips 21, 22 and from each end of which extend leg portions 28, 29. Similarly, the rear support member 26 has a central hinge portion 30 held frictionally by the clips 23 and 24 and legs 31 and 32. Each leg 28, 29 and 31, 32 is provided with a suitable rubber foot 33 so that furniture will not be damaged by them.

A novel feature of the invention is the cooperation with the support member 25, 26 of elements that, when folded, support a traveling iron 35 on the under side of the table and that, when open, provide a stop for themselves and a rest 36 for the iron 35. In the traveling position shown in FIG. 4, a forward anchor member 40 joined to the forward support 25 and comprising an inclined bottom member 41 and two triangular side members 42, 42 supports the rear end of the traveling iron 35. The bottom member 41 is also provided with a stop member 43, bent out from the forward end thereof and, when opened to the position shown in FIG. 3, engages the under surface 20 of the board 10 and prevents further movement of the anchor member 40. Clips 44 hold the legs 28, 29 in place when they are folded into traveling position.

Adjacent the rear edge 13 of the board 10 is the folding iron rest 36, which also serves, when the board is folded for traveling, to provide a support for the pointed nose of the traveling iron 35. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, especially, this iron rest 36 comprises a hinged member having a curved semicylindrical portion 45 spaced outwardly from a hinged portion 46, an end portion 47, and a flat iron rest portion 48 between the portions 46 and 47. The end portion 47 provides, when folded as in FIG. 4, a receptacle or cage for the nose of the iron 35 and the portion 45 provides a receptacle for the iron cord 49. When opened out, as in FIGS. 1 and 3, the two curved rims 50 and 51 near the portions 45 and 47 provide rims to position the iron 35 in the iron rest 36. Clips 52 are preferably provided to lock the portion 45 in the folded position of the member 44.

The ironing board is ordinarily carried about in a traveling case 55 provided with a zipper or with snaps 56 as shown, or other fastening means. Since the board 10 is flat and is relatively small in area, it consumes very little space and may be carried either as a separate piece or in side other luggage. When the case 5 5 is opened and the board 10 removed, it appears as in FIGS. 4 and 5. To open the board, the tray or iron rest 36 is released from its spring clips 52 and swung out to the position shown in FIG. 3, the portion 45 serving as a stop member. The legs 28, 29, 31, and 32 are also swung out, and properly positioned, and the anchor member 40' is swung out until automatically stopped by the stop member 43. The clips 21, 22, 23, 24 frictionally retain the legs in the desired position. The iron 35 is lifted, its handle 56 is swung out, the cord 49 plugged in to the iron 35 and a suitable socket, the board 10- inverted, and one is ready to iron, the iron being placed on the tray or rest 36 with the lower curved ledge 50 keeping it in place. During ironing the iron 35 appears in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3 and in between the actual ironing it is kept on its tray 36.

Folding the board 10 for packing is equally simple. The rear legs 31, 32 and the rest 36 are folded in, the cord 49 placed in its receptacle 45, and the nose of the iron 35 stuck into the cage 47. The handle of the iron is swung down into its folded position. The front legs 28, 29 are then swung over into place and locked into clips 44 and the member 40 swung over to retain the rear end of the iron 35.

In the drawings the same numerals are used to designate the same or similar parts.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a modified form of ironing board has an ironing surface 11 with a padded cover 12 2,994, 1&4

thereover, foldable legs 28, 29 and 31, 32, and clamp members 64 and 65 for securing an iron in the traveling position as shown in dotted lines. The ironing surface consists of a flat substantially rigid plate which may be of thin aluminum sheet or other light metal sheet, or of a rigid plastic, wood, or composition material such as is sold under the registered trademark Formica; to strengthen the board when made of thin metal sheet, ribs 66 may be provided therein and/or the edge may be flanged. In addition, to lighten the structure, portions 67 may be cut out from the ironing surface. The ironing surface is covered on its top side by the padded material 12 which may consist of a thick woolen or other textile or composition layer secured to an outer sheet, of calico for example, in the edges 68 of which an elastic cord 69 may be disposed, the shape of the calico covering 70 being such that it may be sprung over the edges of the ironing surface due to the resiliency of the rubber cord 69 which holds it in place over the ironing surface.

On the underside of the ironing surface the legs are pivotally mounted in brackets 71, secured to the surface as by welding for example, and the legs may consistas shown in FIG. 7of bent tubes having resilient feet 36, of rubber for example, to steady the board in the erected position on a surface such as a table. In the center of the underside of the ironing surface frictional retaining clamps 64, 65 for the iron .are secured, by welding for example, the clamp 64 consisting of an upstanding mem ber having a cavity therein to receive the pointed nose of the iron, while the clamp 65 consists of a bracket 73 shaped to engage the end 74 of the iron and adjustably secured to the ironing surface 11 by a wing nut and bolt 75 welded to the ironing surface and passing through a slot 76 in the bracket 73 whereby the bracket '73 can be moved away from the clamping member 64 to enable the iron to he slipped into position prior to clamping.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim:

1. A traveling ironing board adapted to support a traveling iron and including in combination a flat board member having an upper and lower surface, a narrow front and a wide rear end; front and rear support means having horizontal portions hingedly mounted to the lower surface of said board and leg portions; a tray member hinged on said horizontal portion of one of said support means and thereby adapted to swing toward and away from said lower surface from adjacent one end of said board and having a portion which, when said tray member is swung outwardly into open position, serves as a rest for said iron and a cage portion which, when said tray member is in folded position, abuts partially against said lower surface and adapted to retain one end of an iron, said tray member also having cord-retaining means; and a retaining member hinged on the other said support means swingable to and from said lower surface between a position overlying the opposite end of said iron for retaining it in traveling position and an open position releasing said iron.

2. A traveling ironing board providing a place for carrying a traveling iron and including in combination a flat board member having an upper and lower surface, a narrow front and a wide rear end; front and rear support members, each hingedly mounted to the lower surface of said board, and having a. straight portion adapted to rest against said lower surface and legs extending out from said straight portion; a tray member hingedly mounted at one end to said rear support member and having a free end with a cage thereon adapted when said tray is in folded position against said lower board surface to retain the nose of an iron, said tray member also having a cordretaiuing channel spaced closely adjacent said rear support member, with a portion between said channel and said cage adapted to support said iron when said tray member is swung outwardly with the rear legs into open position; and a front retaining member spaced from said tray member and hingedly secured to said front support member and swingable with it for moving between a position adapted to overlie the opposite end of said iron for retaining it in traveling position and a leg-open position releasing said iron, a portion of said retaining member when in said open position engaging said ironing board lower surface to limit the swing of said front legs.

3. A traveling ironing board for use with a traveling iron having a detachable cord, including in combination; a flat board member having an upper and lower surface, a generally trapezoidal narrow front end and a wide generally rectangular rear end; front and rear support members, each hingedly mounted to the lower surface of said board, each comprising a tubular metal member having a straight portion hingedly secured to said lower surface and legs extending out at each end therefrom; a tray with one end hingedly secured to the straight portion of said rear support member and a free end having a cage adapted when in folded position against said lower board surface to retain the nose of a said iron, said tray also having a cord-retaining channel spaced closely adjacent said rear support member, with a portion in between said channel and said cage and adapted when said tray is swung outwardly with the rear legs into open position to support a said iron; and a front retaining member hingedly secured to the straight portion of said front support member and swingable with and upon said legs for moving between a position adapted to overlie the opposite end of a said iron for retaining it in traveling position and a leg-open position adapted to release said iron, a portion of said retaining member when in said open position engaging said ironing board lower surface to limit the swing of said front legs.

4. In a traveling ironing board adapted tosupport a traveling iron, the combination of a flat member having an upper and lower surface; two support means having portions hingedly mounted to the lower surface of said flat member; a tray member hingedly mounted on one said support means so as to swing outwardly into open position and serve as a rest for said iron and so as to swing inwardly into folded position with a portion against said lower surface and a portion spaced therefrom and adapted to retain one end of an iron; and an iron-retaining member hingedly mounted on the other said support means between a position adapted to overlie the opposite end of said iron for retaining it in traveling position and an open position releasing said iron.

5. In a traveling ironing board providing a place for carrying a traveling iron, the combination of a flat board member having an upper and lower surface, and a front and a rear end; front and rear support members, each hingedly mounted to the lower surface of said board with legs extending out from a central portion; a tray member hinged at one end to said central portion of said rear support member and having a free end with a cage adapted when in folded position against said lower board surface to retain the nose of said iron, said tray member also having a cord-retaining channel spaced closely adjacent said rear support member, the portion between said channel and said cage being adapted to support said iron when said tray member is swung outwardly into open position; and a front retainingsmember hinged to said central portion of said front support member and swingable between a position overlying the opposite end of said iron for retaining it in traveling position and a leg-open position releasing said iron, said front retaining member when in said open position having means engaging said ironing board lower surface to limit the swing of said front legs.

'6. A traveling ironing board for a traveling iron having a nose end and a broad end and a detachable cord, including in combination a flat board member having an upper and lower surface; a pair of support members each hingedly mounted to said lower surface; a tray with one end hingedly mounted on one support member and having a free end having a cage adapted when in folded position against said lower surface to retain the nose of a said iron, said tray also having cord-retaining means spaced more closely adjacent the hinged end, with a portion in between said means and said cage adapted when said tray is swung outwardly into open position to support a said iron in an inclined position; and a retaining member hingedly mounted on the other said support member for moving between a position adapted for overlying the broad end of a said iron for retaining it in traveling position and an open position adapted for releasing said 1ron.

7. A portable ironing board comprising a padded imperforate ironing board of such of such a size as will fit into a normal-sized suitcase, short folding supports on the under side of the ironing board, each shorter than one- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,209,194 Deutsch July 23, 1940 2,410,534 Trevino Nov. 5, 1946 2,523,685 Eiohelberger Sept. 26, 1950 2,617,213 Smith Nov. 11, 1952 2,739,398 Carlsen Mar 27, 1956 2,785,484 Molter Mar. 19, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS C8254 Germany Sept. 13, 1956 

